Best small caravan tow cars

Ford Focus 2.0 TDCI
Voted by many caravan and motoring magazines as the best small towcar of 2008 the Focus really is hard to beat. As a drivers car the Focus has always been a top contender recieving heaps of praise from motoring pundits over all its incarnations, the fact that it is a very accomplished towcar however, came as a suprise to many.

The place where most smaller cars fall down on towing tests is the lane change manouver, the low eight of the tow car frequently causes some instability, but the Ford Focus changes direction neatly and accurately whether towing or solo. In addition the strong2.0 turbodiesel engine fitted to the Focus is near perfect for towing caravans on holiday, with 133bhp and 236lb ft of torque the Focus makeslight work of towing even uphill and provides some power in reserve for overtaking. At a cruise the diesel unit is quiet and smooth which is exactly what you want on a long drive to a caravan park!

Skoda Fabia Estate 1.9TDI
Although the Fabia is a small car overall this estate version has a truly enormous boot for its class, 480 litres even before putting the seats down mean you can carry all t your camping and caravanning accessories with room to spare. Running costs are another area where the Skoda trumps the opposition, a list price of just #13,875 means it undercuts all main rivals by around #2-3,000 and the Skoda brand has ranked very high in JD customer satisfaction surveys in recent years so you are not getting an inferior product, you are simply paying less! On the downside the VW/Audi 1.9TDI diesel unit is a little grumbly compared to many latest generation diesel engines, however it becomes all but inaudible at a steady cruise and provides plenty of grunt for towing.

VW Golf 1.9TDI Match
The ever popular Golf hatchback in its latest form is a fine car whether used for towing or not,an accomplished all rounder it exudes a certain understated class without the negative connations of (say) a BMW. Voted by What car and Practical Caravan as the small towcar of the year in 2007 the Volkswagon Golf makes a lot of sense as a towcar, comfortable roomy and classy interior, composed handling and good refinement, along with the excellent (if slightly noisy) 1.9TDI diesel engine, make this a great little towcar for lightweight touring caravans.

For more information and guides on Caravanning in Devon please visit Caravan Holidays Devon for park reviews, caravan tests, tips and articles.